Users online have shared an image purporting to show a TIME magazine cover claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky no longer uses the letters “Z” and “V” in his name in protest at the Russian invasion is digitally altered.
The image appears to show a TIME Magazine April 2022 edition cover featuring an image of Zelensky with text that reads: “Ladimir Elensky refused to use letters “Z” and “V” in his name and surname. As a token of support our office publishes this news piece without the letters “Z” and “V”.”
One user shared the image on Facebook with the caption, “NEO-NAZI's CLOWN with His New Name: LADIMIR ELENSKY” (here).
Another iteration of the image had over 1,400 likes on Twitter (archive.ph/wip/S6F4D).
Other examples of the image shared on social media can be seen (here), (archive.ph/wip/2XBvX) and (here).
The image was not published by TIME magazine, however.
“This image is not an authentic TIME cover,” a TIME spokesperson told Reuters.
The image is not viewable in the TIME magazine front page archive for 2022 editions (time.com/vault/year/2022/).
A Google advanced search did not reveal any article published` with the alleged headline: (bit.ly/3EsnCGo).
A Twitter advanced search similarly did not reveal any such cover posted by the TIME Twitter account (@TIME) (bit.ly/3xE4tQg).
On April 19, 2022, Lithuania's parliament voted to ban public displays of the letter "Z", the black and orange ribbon of St George, and other symbols seen as expressing support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine (here).
Reuters has previously addressed digitally altered images purporting to show TIME magazine front covers (here), (here).
VERDICT
Digitally altered. TIME magazine did not publish a front-page edition claiming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is no longer going to use the letters “Z” and “V” in his name in the wake of the Russian war with Ukraine. The image is digitally altered and was never published by the outlet.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here .
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.